A while back I made a pleading post to famed game author Archer Maclean to port his excellent title Mercury to the iPhone platform. Today, I target another skilled author with a similar plea.
Will Harvey, I beg of you — please bring your classic title Zany Golf to the iPhone.
Author of the famed Music Construction Set published in 1984 by Electronic Arts, Will Harvey and his team at Sandcastle released Zany Golf for the Apple IIgs in 1988 and was later ported to the Amiga, Atari ST, DOS PC, and Sega Genesis. A fanciful slant on mini golf, Zany Golf presents the player with ten levels (one is bonus!) course featuring bizarre obstacles such as bouncing hamburgers, laser beams, moving walls, and magic carpets. The user uses the mouse to click on the ball and drag out a shot vector. Releasing the mouse button sends the ball on its way. Some levels involve deeper interaction such as the “Magic Carpet" level which gives the player direct mouse control of the ball and the “Fans" level which gives the user control of strategically placed windmills by way of jiggling the mouse.
Every aspect of this game’s controls would perfectly translate to the iPhone’s unique control mechanisms. Zany Golf was made to be played on the iPhone.
Will my request be heeded by Harvey, or anyone for that matter? Who’s to say? But given what a perfect fit Zany Golf is for the iPhone, it feels good to get this request out there. Please cross your fingers!
